Nut-lock



(No Model.)

' H. P, COREY.

NUT LOOK.

` Patented Sept. 18, '1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY FRANKLIN COREY, ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA.

NL lT-LOCK.

P BCIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,639, dated September 18, 1888. Application filed February 1.5198S. Serial No. 264,054. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY FRNKLIN COREY, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Alameda, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Nut-Locks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in nut-looks; and it consists in a device which is especially designed for application to the nuts which secure the fish-plates over the joints between railroad-rails.

The invention, which consists in a certain novel construction and arrangement of devices, is hereinafter more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l represents the improved nut-lock applied in the locked position to railroad-` rails.l Fig. 2 represents the nut-lock before the parts are finally secured together. Figs.

3 and 4 are views of the two plates detached.

Referringby letter to the drawings, A A designate the adjacent ends of two rails, which are connected by the fish-plates B, and C C and D D arebolts arranged,'respectively, adjacent to the ends of the rails and removed slightly from the ends. The inner'bolts, C O, are provided with nuts O' C', and the outer bolts, D D, are provided with the nuts D' D'.

E and F represent springmetal lookingplates, which are provided at their inner or adjacent ends, respectively, with the longitudinal slots G G, which are equal in width to the nuts C' 0'. Similar longitudina'l slots, H H, are formed in the springplates near their outer ends; but the slots H are only sufficiently vwide to allow the bolts D D to pass through. The outer ends'of both plates E and F are bent away from thelrails to'form the hooks or projcctions K K, having Vertical edges at their inner ends, for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The inner end of the plate E is provided with a tongue, L, havingits free end bent outward to form the stud 01' detent M.

N represents an aperture in the spring'plate F, which is of a size sufficient to receive the tongue L, and the latter is about equal in width to the slot G. The inner end of the plate F is provided with a Stud or detent, O, similar to plate E is passed through the aperture N in the plate F, and the slots G G are adjusted over the nuts O' C', and the slots H H are adjusted over the bolts D D. As before mentioned, the slots G G are equal in width to the nuts O' C', and therefore the latter will fit snugly in the slots and the plates E F will bear against the outer side of the tish-plate. The nuts D' D' are now screwed on their respective bolts until they bear tightly against the plates E and F, and the said nuts are turned until their` outer sides are Vertical or parallel with the edges of the hooks or projections K K.

.The nut-lock is now in the position shown in Fig. 2, and the end of the tongue L and the end of the plate F and the studs or deteuts on the ends of the/same are conceale'd, respectively, behind the plates F and E. To complete the operation of -locking the nuts it is simply necessary to drive the plates toward each other until the deteuts M and O engage, respectively, in the slots Gin the plates F and E. In this position the edges of the hooks or projections K bear againstv the outer sides of the nuts D' D', and the plates cannot be drawn apart, as will be readily understood. Being of spring metal, the deteuts will engage automatically in the said slots, and the plates will assume a fiat position, as seen in Fig. 1.

It will be understood that as the sides of the slots G G embrace the sides of the nuts O' C', the latter cannot be rotat-ed, and as the plates are held down at their outer end byV the nuts D' and at their inner ends by their connection together, the said nuts O' cannot be freed fro'm the engaging slots, except as hereinafter described. The plates are crilnped transversel y on opposite sides of the slots G G, and the sides of the said slots thus take a firmer hold of the sides of the nuts. The main object of the crin1ps,lhowever, is to allow free longitudinal expansion and contraction of the plates,

IPO

it being well known that both the rails and the plates will be considerabl y affected by changes in the weather.

To remove the clamping device, repress the detents M O out of engagement with the slots G, drive the plates E F apart sufficiently to allow the nuts D' D' to turn, remove the said nuts, and the plates may be removed. To repress the said detents, insert pointed tools in the notches in the onter ends of the detents and pry the plates out sufficiently to allow the detents to pass thereunder.

The clainping-plates,as will be seen from the drawings and description, are struck from sheet metal, after which to form the lookingplatesitis simply necessary to bend their onter ends to form the hooks or projections K and bend the detents out at right angles to the bodies of the plates. Therefore this nut-look maybe very cheaply manufactu red. It is also applicable to any bolts or nuts, provided the nuts adjacent to the inner ends of the plates will fit in the slots G G. Thelock is very easily and quickly applied, and when properly adjusted cannot possibly be jarred loose or remay, if preferred,engage in especially-iormed apertures in the plates, instead of engaging,as herein described, in the slots G G.

Various slight changes may be made in my lock without dcparting from the spirit and intent of the inveution, and I reserve the right to make such changes.

Haviug thus describel my invcntion, I claiml. In a nut-lock, the plates having` slots to receive the bolts and having projections to engage the nuts, the tongue L on the inner end of one plate passing through an apertnre,N,in the other plate, and the dctents or studs, respeetively, ou the end of the tongue and the end of the other plate eugaging suitable aperturcs in the plates, substantially as specified.

2. In a nut-lock, the platcs having slots I-I H therein to receive the bolts, the hooks or projections ou the plates to eugage the nuts on the said bolts, the tongue L on the inner end of one plate passing through an aperture, N, near the inner end of the other plate, and the studs or detents H O,arranged, respecti vely,on the end of the tongue L and the end of theap'- ertu red platealnd having notches m 0 in their onter ends, the said detents or studs being adapted to engage in suitable apertnres in the plates, substantially as speeified.

3. As an article of manufacture, the heroindeseribed sheetfmetal plates E F, having the slots G G near their inner ends, the narrow slots I'I H near their onter ends, the hooks or projections K K on the onter extremities of the plates, provided willi Vertical beariugedges, the aperture N in the plate F, close to its inner end,the tongue L on the inner end of the plate E, passing th rongh the aperture N, and the studs or detcnts M O on theinner ends of the tongue L and the plate F, adapted to engage in the inner ends of the slots G G.sul.`A stantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that Iclaim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY FRANKLIN COREY.

\Vit nesses:

FRANK. D. TUNIs, D. O. MAODOUGAI.. 

